No Longer Safe
by KaidaThorn
Summary: Nine moons after Firestar and Sandstorm have left SkyClan mysterious killings have been happening to the Clan cats. No one, not even StarClan knows who it is. With the Clan no longer safe, can they make it so they and the new arrivals live until they go?
1. Alliances

**This takes place about eleven moons after "Firestar's Quest". I think I got all the cats that were mentioned… I also really tried to make warrior names for Bouncepaw, Sagepaw, and Mintpaw (who all have their warrior names). I don't really know what to say, so I'm just going to go on to the alliances. OH, please tell me if I forgot any cats that were mentioned around SkyClan's territory.**

**I have a new obsession at the moment. It's one of the Jonas Brothers songs called "****A Little Bit longer****."I know how Nick feels and I wish they find a cure soon… especially since I recently had to start taking shots and I have a fear of needles. Now that I told everyone my obsession, time to get onto the alliances**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors; Erin Hunter does.**

_**SkyClan**_

_**Leader: **_Leafstar- Brown-and-cream tabby she-cat with amber eyes

_**Deputy: **_Sharpclaw- Dark ginger tom

_**Medicine Cat:**_ Echosong- Silver tabby she-cat with green eyes  
Apprentice, Icepaw

_**Warriors:**_ Patchfoot- Black-and-white tom  
Apprentice, Moonpaw

Clovertail- Light brown she-cat with white belly and legs  
Apprentice, Hailpaw

Petalnose- Pale gray she-cat  
Apprentice, Leopardpaw

Sparrowpelt-Dark brown tabby tom

Cherrytail- Tortoiseshell she-cat

Rockpelt- Black tom

Tinyfeather- Small white she-cat  
Apprentice, Stormpaw

Bouncestep- Ginger tom

Sageclaw- Pale gray tom  
Apprentice, Redpaw

Mintheart- Gray tabby she-cat

Ravenwing- Black tom

Longclaw- Tabby tom

Rosepetal- Cream-colored she-cat

_**Apprentices:**_

Stormpaw- Dark gray she-cat

Hailpaw- White tom

Icepaw- Blue-white she-cat

Redpaw- Ginger she-cat

Moonpaw- Silver she-cat

Leopardpaw- Gold tom with black spots

_**Queens: **_Frostpool- White she-cat, mother of Sparrowpelt's kits: Darkkit (Dark brown tom), Tigerkit (ginger tabby she-cat with black stripes), and Redkit (white tom with ginger feet)

Cherrytail- Tortoiseshell she-cat

_**Cats outside the Clan**_

Hutch- Dark brown tabby tom

Oscar- Black tom

Bella- Tabby-and-white she-cat

Rose- Cram-colored she-cat with brown legs, tail, ears, and muzzle

Lily- Cream-colored she-cat with brown legs, tail, ears, and muzzle

Tangle- Ragged tabby tom

Litchen- Mottled brown she-cat

Dawn- White she-cat with gold head and tail

Twig- Brown tom

Max- Tabby-and-ginger tom

T.J- Tabby-and-ginger tom with white muzzle

Falcon- Brown tom

Apple- Cream-colored she-cat with ginger spots

Speedy- Black tom

Crystal- Black she-cat

Gracie- White-and-gray she-cat


	2. Prologue

**So… this is the first chapter… I really don't know what to say… Hope you enjoy this chapter. Flames are welcomed because I'm not one of the best writers around… Actually, I'm not really good.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors: Erin Hunter does.**

**Prologue:**

"Cloudstar!" a gray tabby apprentice ran into the clearing where the other SkyClan ancestors sat watching over their modern Clan. The cats all turned their heads to pay attention to what the apprentice was all excited about. The apprentice stopped in front of a pale gray tom.

"What is it, Oakpaw?" Cloudstar asked keeping his gaze on the apprentice. Great curiosity was on the former leader's face.

Oakpaw continued to pant as he tried to say it. His voice was a little shaky. Either from the running he had done or from some shock. Whichever one it was, it had to be important for him to interrupt a meeting. "I-I-I."

The apprentice couldn't stop shaking for one minute to spit out what he had to say. Inhaling deeply, the apprentice quickly said what he had to say in one mouthful.

"I lost sight of Nettlepaw!"

He collapsed to the ground, still shaking. A worried expression was on his face.

A dark brown tabby she-cat touched her tail to Oakpaw's back. "It's alright, Oakpaw. It's not…"

Oakpaw quickly looked up and interrupted her, "But what if He gets him, Fernpelt? I won't be able to handle it if he dies. Nettlepaw's my kin! We always lose our sight of a cat when He is ready to make a kill."

Cloudstar looked down as if he was trying to see something. He gestured his tail towards two black toms. "Nightfur, Crowtalon! Go look for Nettlepaw. Call if you find him."

Nightfur and Crowtalon closed their eyes and bowed their heads. They started to run to the direction where Oakpaw had come from.

A light brown tabby she-cat got to her feet and started to pad off. "I'm going to check on the other cats and tell them to see if their assigned cats are alright. We don't want Him to get another cat.

Another light brown tabby she-cat, with long fluffy fur, stood up and stretched. "That's a good idea, Fawnstep. I'll come too." She started to walk towards Fawnstep. Once she reached he look alike, she turned around. "Coming, Oakpaw? It would be a good way to get your mind off of this."

Closing his eyes for a minute, Oakpaw thought for a minute. He opened his eyes and stood up. "Okay, Birdflight, I'll come."

Stumbling after them, Oakpaw ran after them as they started to walk away. Fernpelt took her time to stand up and slowly followed them.

Cloudstar closed his eyes and began to think. Five cats had already died to the claws of this fiend in the past moon. No one knew who was killing the cats. Was it someone outside of the Clan, or was the fiend accepted into the Clan? If he was in the Clan, he had to be killing the cats when they were alone.

The former leader opened his eyes and stood up, ready to walk towards the direction when Nightfur and Crowtalon descended. As he walked he still kept his thoughts in his head. How much longer were these killings going to continue? Why was this cat killing cats of SkyClan? This was a mystery that had to be solved, before it was too late. SkyClan couldn't become no more again!

"Cloudstar, we found Nettlepaw!"

Breaking away from his thoughts, Cloudstar looked up to see Crowtalon running towards him.

"Well, how is he?" Eagerness was in the leader's voice, but he wasn't sure if he could handle the truth. It all depended on the news.

The black tom closed his eyes and lowered his head. "We were too late. Nightfur stayed behind to greet him to StarClan."

Cloudstar was right; he wouldn't be able to handle the truth. Six now was the total of cats killed by this fiend. This death just tore his heart again. Another young apprentice was dead, a cat that would never hold his head high bearing his warrior name.

"Even though it kills me, we're going to have to tell Oakpaw. This will hurt Oakpaw a lot," Cloudstar said.

"He'll think it was his fault. This was his only kin that could be a part of SkyClan since it was first lost. Oakpaw really looked forward to seeing him get a warrior name," Crowtalon said. "But I'll go tell him."

Cloudstar pondered for a minute. "It is a good idea. Especially since he's with Fawnstep, Birdflight, and Fernpelt. He's going to need more than one cat to calm him down and if Fawnstep could barely settle him down earlier, Fawnstep and Birdflight are sure to help."

As Crowtalon began to depart in the opposite direction than he had arrived from, Cloudstar ran towards where Nightfur would be.

He saw the black tom talking to the apprentice that had joined. The tom was the splitting image of Oakpaw, just a little younger. A scared and worried expression was on the apprentice's face. Nightfur was right next to Nettlepaw, whispering into his ear. Probably soothing words were being whispered, so the apprentice could be calmed down.

Cloudstar listened to the apprentice's worried words.

"I-I c-can't be d-dead," the apprentice stuttered. "I h-have a d-duty to my C-clan. I promised M-moonpaw and L-leopardpaw that we'd train together!"

The apprentice couldn't stop shaking. It seemed that the apprentice didn't care if he was dead or not. All he cared about was his denmate that joined the Clan with him.

Cloudstar lowered his head and walked towards the two.

"Greetings, Nettlepaw," Cloudstar began. He didn't know what to say. No words of thought had come to his mind.

"Who're you?" The gray tabby apprentice had stopped stuttering. This was good. Maybe Cloudstar could ask him some questions. Hope flickered in the leader's eyes as this could be his chance to find out who the killer was.

"I'm Cloudstar, leader when SkyClan was around many moons ago. I have some questions to ask you. Will you answer them?"

Nettlepaw pondered for a moment and nodded.

"Why'd you leave camp with all of these mysterious killings that have been happening?" Cloudstar asked. So the apprentice could calm down and help him out.

The gray tabby answered without thinking. "I got into a fight with Hailpaw again and I tried to challenge him. It was a challenge to see who could get the most prey. But he was afraid. 'You know we're not supposed to go out of camp,' he stated. Of course he was going to go with the rules, he _never_ breaks the rules."

"So, you knew it was against the rules to leave camp on your own?" Cloudstar stared at the young apprentice.

"Yeah, but I wanted to show Hailpaw that he wasn't all that. He acts like he's the best apprentice in the whole camp!" Anger was on Nettlepaw's face. "He was being rude and didn't think about what he was saying to Moonpaw! I couldn't let him be mean to her!"

"You still shouldn't have gone out into the forest by yourself, or try to get Hailpaw to go out with you," Nightfur interjected. The black tom still stood there, but now he was listening. An expression of anger was on his face.

Cloudstar held his tail up as a sign for Nightfur to be silent. "What happened when you left camp, Nettlepaw?"

"I did what I challenged Hailpaw to. I didn't go too far from camp; I was probably in the middle of the territory. Anyways, I caught some prey and a huge bird for Moonpaw, Leopardpaw, and I to share! Then I heard something in the bushes. I panicked! I started to run back to camp and I heard footprints behind me. Then I tripped over a branch. I tried to get to my feet. Laughter filled my ears as my tail was stepped on and I yowled. Whoever was chasing me had got me."

"Did you see what he looked like?" Finally! Cloudstar would finally be able to find out who the fiend was.

"No, I didn't see him," Nettlepaw said. Cloudstar sighed. It was too good to be true. "I was too busy panicking and yowling for help. I tried so hard to move, but I was paralyzed with fear! The cat that had me pinned to the ground started to laugh again and said something.

Curiosity now filled Cloudstar's eyes. Whatever the cat said, it could help them find out who this mystery cat was. "What did he say, Nettlepaw! It's important if we know every detail!"

Cloudstar was on a mission. Determination tingled through his whole body. He wasn't going to rest until this cat was found!

"He said 'This Clan was once gone, it should and will stay gone.' I didn't know what he meant by that," Nettlepaw said. "Then he laughed again and my sight went blank. When I woke up, I was here."

Shock filled Cloudstar's face. How had he known the Clan was gone before? Why was he killing SkyClan? Why did he want the Clan to stay gone? This was a mystery and it had to be solved before it was too late.

Flicking his tail, Cloudstar turned his attention towards Nightfur. "Take him to the Moonpond, that's where the others are. Crowtalon should've told Birdflight, Fernpelt, and Fawnstep so they are probably soothing Oakpaw. If Skywatcher is there, tell him to meet me at the StoneHallow." The leader turned his attention towards the apprentice. "Nettlepaw, you will soon meet a cat name Oakpaw. He won't be happy to see you, but try to make conversation to him. He's your kin."

Nettlepaw nodded and followed Nightfur off. Now that Nettlepaw was gone, Cloudstar silently grieved for the lost that had come to his Clan. He had to tell Leafstar what Nettlepaw had told him, and that is what Skywatcher was for. The leader was alone in his thoughts.

Before he could start walking, a voice from behind surprised him.

"How'd I know that you wouldn't have even have moved yet. You're probably thinking, as usual."

Cloudstar turned around and saw the dark gray tom, Skywatcher. If he could trust any cat to give the right words to Leafstar it would be Skywatcher.

"Sorry Skywatcher. You are right, I was thinking," Cloudstar began.

"What do you need then? My bath was interrupted. Even though I don't really mind getting away from Oakpaw," A slightly annoyed, relieved look was on the old tom's face.

"I need you to Leafstar some words that Nettlepaw said. He said…"

Skywatcher cut Cloudstar off. "I know what he said, Nightfur quickly told me."

An annoyed laugh escaped Cloudstar's throat. "Leave it to Nightfur for someone to be informed. Can you give the message to Leafstar? It would do well if you could and it's very important."

"I can, Cloudstar. It's good she hasn't woken up yet then. I'll see you in a few." Skywatcher started to walk off leaving Cloudstar all alone again.

"Once I find Him, he will pay for what he is doing to my Clan," Cloudstar said to himself. The expression on his face changed from angry to worry. "I hope we find him before its too late."


	3. The Announcement

**Ok, people! The official first chapter is here (after… about… seven months!)! Sorry about the long wait everyone, I haven't had any motivation. If anyone has tried to figure out who the mysterious killer is, you probably won't have it right because I won't tell you if it's a Clan cat or a cat outside of the Clan! So keep guessing if you must!**

**Special thanks to Princess Alyra for first review and telling me that I don't suck (and sending me three reviews because she messed up in one)!!!! I also thank everyone else, who interviewed. I hope that you guys continue to read the story and this chapter entertains you.**

**Other special thanks to the people who put me story alert or favorite story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors; Erin Hunter does**

**Chapter 1: The Announcement**

Stirring in the darkness, Leafstar tried to open her eyes. Someone was calling her name, but she wasn't sure who. When she opened her eyes, she saw the fleeting moorland surrounded in mist where she had gotten her nine lives.

_Why am I here again,_ she thought. Awareness filled her body. If she was here, then maybe StarClan had come to speak to her. Footsteps were heard behind her and she turned around to reveal an old Clanmate.

"Skywatcher!" she padded up to the old dark gray tom and touched noses with him. "It's good to see you again."

"I wish it was a good time to see you," he rasped. "But I bring sad news."

Leafstar's head lowered and she waited for what he had to say.

Skywatcher closed his eyes and inhaled."Nettlepaw is dead. He joined StarClan today."

Sorrow filled Leafstar's eyes. Not another cat! It was too soon for another to join. No more cats should have joined StarClan so soon after the Clan rejoined!

The gray tom continued. "He was killed by Him and he told us something the He said."

The leader's eyes closed. If Nettlepaw was killed by Him it couldn't be good. Pain punctured her heart over and over. It felt as if claws were being dug through over all over the place and that she just wouldn't die. This agonizing pain of having to bury another cat was just too painful to bear again.

She had to pull herself together. She had to be tough for her Clan. Raising her head, Leafstar looked at Skywatcher. "The Clan will grief for the lost, especially Moonpaw and Leopardpaw. Even though they weren't related, they have lived together for a while. But, can you tell me what Nettlepaw said?"

Nodding, Skywatcher opened his mouth to speak. "This is what Nettlepaw told us that He said 'The Clan was once gone, it should and will stay gone'. None of us knows what it means. We're not even sure if the fiend is a part of SkyClan or is just a cat outside the Clan."

"I don't know what it means either, but I need to go tell the Clan about Nettlepaw. He needs a proper burial," Leafstar said as she started to pad off.

"Leafstar, we're trying our best to watch over the Clan. But we're not sure how He can go around us," Skywatcher said as he also started to walk off.

Brightness started to fill her eyes as she woke up. There was something strange about the air surrounding camp. She opened her mouth to taste the air. Then it came to her senses. Alarm! Alarm had filled the camp. Was it because Nettlepaw was missing? Surely no one would go and look for the bold gray apprentice? Leafstar had to quickly alert the camp.

She padded out of her den started to jump off the ledges. She got to the medicine cat den and peered in to see if Echosong was busy or not. Maybe she would know what the words Skywatcher told her would mean? Instead she ran into Cherrytail who had two blue-star shaped flowers in her mouth.

"Cherrytail, what are you doing down here?" Leafstar asked in alarm. Cherrytail was heavily pregnant and if she knew Cherrytail, the queen would be very upset if something were to happen to her kits.

The tortoiseshell queen set the flowers down and brought her head back up. "I'm getting some borage for Frostpool, she's running low on milk again and she can't come down because of the kits," Cherrytail explained.

"So! You had to jump down here to get the leaves. Didn't you think of the kits?" Leafstar didn't try to sound rude, but she didn't want anything to happen to Cherrytail's kits.

Glancing at her paws, Cherrytail thought of something to say. "Sorry, but I had to get her some borage! The kits are getting hungrier as we speak! Also, no cats have gone by the nursery since we've been up."

"Don't say sorry. Say sorry if Ravenwing found out what you're doing. Maybe I should just get one of the apprentices to watch over you?" Leafstar grinned.

Bent over the borage, Cherrytail's head lifted up eyes half lit. "That reminds me! There's been commotion because Nettlepaw's been missing." She lowered her head and her voice became quiet. "I hope he's alright. Well, I have to go and get this up to Frostpool. Bye!"

The queen picked up the borage and started to pad towards the ledges so she could get up to the nursery.

Lowering her head, Leafstar closed her eyes again. This was going to be hard to say to the camp. Another death had come so quickly.

"Hi Leafstar, I didn't see you there," the silver tabby medicine cat poked her head out of the den. "Is there anything that you need?"

"Yeah," Leafstar said as she nodded her head. Opening her mouth to speak, Leafstar breathed deeply and searched her mind for the words Skywatcher told her. "Skywat…"

"Echosong!" another voice from inside the den said, cutting Leafstar off from her words.

Smile fading away, Echosong turned around. "What is it, Icepaw?"

The leader looked around the medicine cat and saw her apprentice, a blue white she-cat by the name of Icepaw. Even though the apprentice was new, she already knew all of the herbs that there were. This made the Clan even luckier. When Echosong was helping with the disturbances that there have been or at the Skyrock, it has always been Icepaw that has always been there to help her out.

"We're all out of borage and who knows how long until we need more," Icepaw said in one breath.

"Ok. I'll get someone to go out with you later," Echosong replied as she licked her paw.

Icepaw nodded as she turned her attention to more herbs that were on the stone shelves.

Now that her apprentice stopped speaking, Echosong turned her attention back to Leafstar. A smile had come to her face. "Now, what do you need, Leafstar?" she asked."

Glancing at her feet, Leafstar tried to figure out how to say what was said to her. With all of the deaths, more grief has filled Echosong eyes, and another was sure to do more harm. But before anyone else could be told, Echosong needed to be prepared to help those who needed it.

"Echosong…" she started. "Skywatcher came to me in my sleep."

A look of disappointment and excitement filled the medicine cat's eyes. Mewing softly, she said, "Has StarClan discovered who's killing our cats?"

Without saying anything, the leader lowered her head and barely shook it. As she kept her gaze on Echosong, she saw the cat's eyes droop with guilt and sorrow.

Echosong went to open her mouth, but she didn't know what to say. "What… What did he say to you? It's been ages since anycat has come to you in a dream."

Her eyes still shone, in hope that the news was good. But Leafstar could still see the uncertainty in her eyes.

After a time of silence, the leader held the silence. Finally, she spit it out, because she knew she couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Nettlepaw was discovered this morning. He was greeted and welcomed as a true warrior," she finally said.

Echosong choked out, afraid of crying and starting uproar in the camp.

"We're going to have to tell everyone. Especially Moonpaw and Leopardpaw… They, especially Moonpaw, loved him very much," she said as she started to pad out of her den.

Immediately following the medicine cat, Leafstar said, "It's going to have to pain me to announce what happened. It always does. We now have had six of our Clan die since the rat attack."

They kept walking until they reached the Rockpile.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the Rockpile."

As Leafstar said this, all of the warriors and the apprentices started to come out of where they were and come over to the pile.

She glanced towards the nursery to make sure that Cherrytail wouldn't come and risk hurting her kits. Instead, she saw he follow Ravenwing out of the den and them touch noses. As she lied down on the ledge, the black tom hopped down right over to the Rockpile.

More murmurs were heard as the apprentices started to gather around. As usual, Leopardpaw and Moonpaw sat together, but there was something different about the silver she-cat. A look of drowsiness and hurt rested in her eyes, something that was uncommon for her.

Over about three tail-lengths away, Hailpaw stared straight at her while trying to keep conversation with his dark gray sister, Stormpaw. She flicked her tail and coughed as the ginger apprentice, Redpaw, raced passed her and almost ran into Icepaw.

Turning her eyes, the leader watched as Echosong slowly made her way towards Moonpaw and Leopardpaw. She sat a tail-length away, so she wouldn't draw any attention sitting too close to the apprentices.

As soon as the rest of the Clan arrived, Leafstar silenced them with her tail and looked down at them.

"I just got some news from StarClan this morning," Leafstar said to her Clan.

Murmurs of excitement and anxiety roared down below. Some of the cats, like Leopardpaw and Moonpaw, just stared at her, waiting for the news to be said.

"Skywatcher came to me and told me that they had a new arrival this morning." She wanted to stop now, but the Clan had to know what had happened, and so they could talk about prevent this from happening to any other cat.

All of the cats looked straight at her, the look of suspense high in their systems as they waited for it to be revealed. Many of them already had their eyes faced towards the ground as they figured out what happened.

Finally, she spit it out; unable to hold it in anymore, even though she would have to say it. "Nettlepaw is dead."

She looked towards the cats that would take the death worst than any other warrior. The medicine cat had already made her ways towards Moonpaw and Leopardpaw and was attempting to bring them to her den. Leopardpaw was willing to go; he didn't want to be there anymore.

But Moonpaw… her look was dazed and blank. She kept her eyes straight forward, focused onto to the Rockpile. The shock was too much for her. Echosong tried to get her to come with her and Leopardpaw, who had started towards the den, his walk pattern off. Eventually, Moonpaw agreed to go with Echosong, so her wounds could be soothed.

After the two apprentices and Echosong disappeared from her sight, Leafstar continued to speak. "We need to go and find Nettlepaw's body so we can give him a proper burial."

Nods of agreement came from several cats. The others looked unsure of wanting to go out on the territory alone.

"Everyone will go in groups of three, so everycat will be watched out for. Petalnose, I was you to take Mintheart and Bouncestep Patchfoot, you shall lead the group of Rosepetal and Longclaw; make sure they listen! And Sharpclaw, I want you to choose two other cats to go with you," she ordered.

She turned around and thought for a moment. The quietness of the Clan below was alarmingly weird, but why should it be? Another cat just died, and a young one too.

"I want the leader of each group to talk to the other ones so you can decide which part of the territory you will search."

After she said that, the selected cats went to each other and talked about which part of the territory they would search.

She looked towards the apprentices who were talking about the death in low voices. Only one seem distracted from the conversation. Hailpaw had his head turned, and was looking towards the ledge in hopes of seeing someone pop up and make his day better. When the cat never showed, he turned around and joined the conversation.

**Wow… This has to be the longest chapter I have ever written. I'm impressed with myself. Even though it took forever for me to update, and I apologize for that! I will now try to update this story regularly. I will be working both on this story and **_**Forbidden Love**_**. I just need to think of where my story for **_**Forbidden Love**_** was going. It's been so long since I've even seen the story.**

**-KaidaThorn-**


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